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News from the Nor'West

News from the Nor'West

by Jocelyn Ross OAM

Congratulations to Matt Warth and his family of Wickham Parish who was named 2019 Citizen of the Year from the Wickham Community Association, nominated by our local City Councillor Kelly Nunn, the deputy Mayor of the City of Karratha.

Matt and his wife Naomi with their two sons, have lived in Wickham for the past three years, assisting the Anglican Community Chaplain The Revd Richard Goscombe in various capacities. Matt received the award for his involvement as a volunteer in the local school, in Junior Sport, the senior Football Club, and general community work including distributing emergency supplies to those in need from the church’s warehouse. Matt is currently serving as Chaplain at both Karratha Senior High School and Karratha Primary School (two days each). Since the departure of the Goscombes he and Naomi, an administrative officer at Roebourne Regional Prison, are conducting church services in Wickham, with guidance from The Revd Frank Nicol Karratha Anglican Church.

In October, Ian and Ngaire Jeffrey were in Broome and Kununurra for three weeks administering Safe Ministry Training to church members. Ian, an architect, is inspecting the fabric of the churches and rectories/church houses to develop a maintenance plan. After one week back in Geraldton, they drove to Karratha to attend a Pilbara Archdeaconry gathering, where once again Ngaire provided Safe Ministry Training for the ministers.

Dongara Church is grateful to God for the appointment of a young couple, Matt and Leonie Morrison from Sydney, beginning in the new year, to replace the Mitchells who left in June.

Broome’s Church of the Annunciation, a simple timber and corrugated iron building 116 years old, has just been refurbished, which included restoring and moving the bell tower, housing a 250kg bronze bell with an impressive pedigree. Heritage carpenter Jack Baker discovered an inscription cast on the bell stating the number 287, the date 1902 and the name of the foundry, John Taylor and Company of Loughborough England. It also stated that the bell was presented to the Anglican Church in Broome WA by Siebe Gorman and Company, London.

In the early 1900s Broome’s pearling industry expanded to the point that it became the major source of the world’s pearl shell. With fortunes flowing out of Broome it was a good time for the company which developed the diving helmet synonymous with pearl diving, to give back to the community; consequently, Siebe Gorman supplied the church bell to the Broome Community. The connection to what were two of the world’s leading companies in their fields makes this a church bell like no other!

The Geraldton Inaugural Mayoral Prayer Breakfast was conducted in September by the Geraldton Ministers’ Fellowship, with Mayor Shane van Styn and 55 delegates from civic, church and aged care interests participating. The theme was ‘Ageing in the Community’, with guest speaker Russell Bricknell, CEO of Baptist Care WA, providing an insightful, informative, thought provoking address. It was a successful outreach and community building venture.

‘They shall call His name Immanuel’ which translated means ‘God with us’!Matthew 3:23b

Have a blessed Christmas with Jesus!

For more news about the North West visit www.anglicandnwa.org, Facebook: @northwestanglicans or sign up to receive our North West Network magazine.